1/12/2011 @ 4:15PM

In Pictures: 50 Names You Need To Know In 2011

50 Names You Need To Know In 2011

Our readers and contributors will always be smarter than a few editors. So when we wanted to know what people, places, ideas and products we’ll be talking about next year, we threw it to the crowd. The response has stunned us. One blog post on Oct. 26 generated hundreds of comments and thousands of tweets, and Facebook and LinkedIn mentions. With your help we intend to keep the conversation alive in the coming months–with new names, trends and ideas nominated by readers. For now, these are 50 names you think we need to know in 2011.